


A Lesson In Manners

by WarlockWriter



Series: Knight Moves [1]
Category: Knight Rider (1982)
Genre: Episode Tag, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:33:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21536008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarlockWriter/pseuds/WarlockWriter
Summary: KITT still has a lot to learn about how to emulate human interaction. But Michael is patient and a good teacher.
Series: Knight Moves [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558063
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	A Lesson In Manners

**Author's Note:**

> One of the things I’m finding that I love about Knight Rider is that Michael has not the slightest bit of toxic masculinity in him. If someone doesn’t want his attentions, he backs off. Immediately. And in a way that doesn’t make the other person uncomfortable. I head canon that Michael is pan and fell in love with KITT pretty much immediately. But he knew KITT had to learn how to properly express emotions before he could reciprocate, and he was patient enough to teach him. Unfortunately, KITT sometimes learned the wrong lesson at first.
> 
> This is a coda to episode 1x15: Give me Liberty…or Give Me Death.

“Michael, you are giving KITT bad ideas.”

Bonnie didn’t look exactly mad, but Michael could tell she felt strongly about something.

“What’d he do?”

They were talking outside the truck, far enough away from KITT that the car probably couldn’t hear them. Unless Bonnie had accidentally left him in Surveillance Mode.

“Well, you know how you were teasing him about not taking advantage of me while I was ‘flushing his systems?’”

Michael couldn’t help grinning at the memory. “Yeah, sure.”

Bonnie frowned. “Well, I told him I hoped he wasn’t picking up your bad habits, and he said he was trying not to. And then.” Her face grew flushed. “And then he _goosed_ me!”

Michael frowned thoughtfully. “I’m sorry about that, Bonnie. If he did that, then you’re right. He’s learning the wrong things.” He glanced over his shoulder at the truck. “Is he ready to go for the next mission?”

She nodded.

“Good. I’ll have a talk with him.”

She half-smiled at him. “Thank you, Michael.” Her face grew redder. “I know you’re not really like that with women. I shouldn’t have blamed you.”

He gently touched her shoulder. “No, KITT does look to me for some things. And he just got the wrong idea. I’ll set him straight. Won’t happen again.”

Her smile broadened, and Michael jumped into the back of the truck, walked to KITT and climbed in. “Ready to go, buddy?”

“I am, Michael.”

“Good, let’s do this.” Michael backed out of the truck, waved at Bonnie and started for their next mission.

After they’d driven a few miles, Michael said, “Hey, KITT?”

“Yes, Michael.”

“Bonnie mentioned that you goosed her a few days ago. That’s not cool, buddy.”

There was a pause. Michael knew his car well enough to guess he was thinking.

“But, Michael. You tease women all the time.”

Michael nodded. This was what he had suspected. “You’re right. But it’s just verbal. I never touch them unless they make it clear they want it. Oh, I might touch their arm or shoulder, but I’d never pinch their butt unless we had the kind of relationship that told me that was okay and wanted.”

“There are places that are okay to touch and those that aren’t?”

“Sure. Hand, shoulder and back are usually okay. Even then, though, if someone lets you know they don’t want to be touched, you stop. Immediately.” He thought for a minute. “Remember when I was talking to Dorothy, and she said she wasn’t looking for friendship?”

“Yes, Michael.”

“And I backed off right away and told her I’d see her at the finish line?”

“Yes?”

“I did that so she’d know I wasn’t going to keep coming after her, and I didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable or that I’d only backed off reluctantly.” He let his voice grow serious. “I like women. I like women a lot. But it’s got to be mutual.” He shrugged. “There’s plenty of them out there. I only want the ones who want me back.”

“What about Bonnie? You tease her. I think she’s made it pretty obvious that she doesn’t want to go out with you.”

Michael smiled. “No, she doesn’t. But she teases back, and I know she’s okay with the way we talk to each other. If she ever asked me to stop, I would.”

“What about other men? I see men slap other men and touch each other in ways you seem to say are wrong with women.”

“Sure, the rules are a bit different for guys. It’s sort of a macho thing.” He shrugged. “I don’t really like it either, but I go along with the unspoken rules. Physical forms of teasing are more acceptable for us.”

Another long pause. Finally, “Thank you, Michael. I see that human interaction is more complicated than I had realized. I will apologize to Bonnie when I see her next, and I won’t do anything like that to her again.”

Michael smiled broadly. “That’s good, buddy. I’m proud of you.”

The roller in his seat shifted, delivering a definite pinch to his bottom. Michael laughed heartily.

“That was okay, Michael? I did it right?”

Michael managed to stop laughing long enough to respond. “Yeah, you’ve got it. That was fine.”

He patted KITT’s steering wheel affectionately. “Not let’s get to work. Want to brief me on the mission?”

“Did you fail to listen to Devon again?”

“Nope. I just like hearing your voice, partner.”

They drove, Michael letting KITT’s voice wash over him. He was coming along just fine.


End file.
